Kinky’s rare and reckless voting patterns

News on the Kinky Friedman for Governor campaign, a fairly positive profile in the Austin Chronicle, and a rather disconcerting report in the Dallas Morning News (see BugMeNot to bypass compulsory registration in both papers) , in which the Kinkster is quoted as saying that he rarely goes to the polls, but managed to vote for George W. Bush in 2004.

I’ve been somewhat queasily supporting Kinky, because I think his independent candidacy can help raise awareness about the grossly unfair ballot access laws in Texas, but his going for W in 2004 indicates a real lack of moral fiber, not to mention decent judgement of people (note the “humorous” quote about how Bush is a good man trapped in a Republican body). I appreciate honesty, and I think Kinky is refreshingly honest, but being honest, and being committed to justice, are very different things. He should have sat out voting in 2004 as well — or refrained from making a selection in the presidential race.

I will try to get a fuller version of his statement on this, since it’s possible that it’s out of context, or miscontrued, or simply wrong — or disinformation from the Democratic camp or elsewhere. But I cannot responsibly support him if this is confirmed by his campaign. There may be little chance of him winning and becoming governor, but I’d like to know that the person I vote for, if elected, is a member of the “reality-based community” and no one who willfully voted for George Bush, a known quantity, in 2004, can claim to be one.